WHATSTHATFISH
Sponges

Pitted Sponge

Verongula rigida

Also known as: Demospongiae, Marine Sponge, Rigid Sponge, Siliceous Sponge, Tube Sponge, Tubular Sponge, Verongida Sponge

Adult
@fishx6 · Bonaire - Captain Don's Beach, Caribbean Netherlands · November 20101 / 5
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Overview

Found in colonies, over sandy, surge, and wave zones, around mangrove ponds, of coral and rocky reefs. Varies in colour and texture, often pitted, with a honeycomb pattern, forming chains or groups of tubes.

Sponges come in a range of sizes from minuscule encrusting species under rocks to massive sponges which can be up to one and half metres high.
They are able to filter many litres of sea water every few seconds.
Sponges can exude highly toxic chemicals and so have very few predators apart from nudibranchs, sea stars, sea urchins and umbrella shell.
Their colour can vary if growing in the light or when growing in the shade.

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How to identify

COLOURS
Body shape
mini volcanos

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean
  • Exact location · 1
  • Country only · 4
LIVES IN

Found in colonies, over sandy, surge, and wave zones, around mangrove ponds, of coral and rocky reefs.

04

Adult photos 5

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumPorifera
    3. classDemospongiae
    4. orderVerongiida
    5. familyAplysinidae
    6. genusVerongula
    7. speciesVerongula rigida (Esper, 1794)

    SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

    06

    More in the family

    Verongiida